Chicago, IL - OTA [Text View] - Page 22

tvmicrowave2002

06-10-09, 09:31 PM

FYI.. WCIU analog 26 and WWME analog 23 will start transition efforts starting Thursday evening at 5p. 4x per hour we will be breaking away from normal programming and airing "the ship is sinking" messages... You will see a :20 message that says if you're seeing this signal, you're not DTV ready, call, etc. followed by a 3 min video explaining how to hook up your converter boxes. We will be broadcasting live from Cook Brothers Friday from 12p-6p doing live drops two times an hour. Yours truely will be hosting these w/ Svengoolie in a loose, "radio remote" style format but informative. We'll show those still watching analog how to hookup indoor and outdoor antennas, program converter boxes, etc.

Now the exciting part..Friday night at 11:45p, we will be broadcasting live from our transmitter room. We're having an "Analog Retirement Party". 15 or so guests will join me as we count down the analog shut off. Tune in to see a live tour of our transmitter room and watch the clock count down as we hit the RF OFF switch. WCIU was Chicago's first UHF station to sign on in 1964 and we will be the last UHF to sign off. For those who are "digital ready" the show will be simulcasted on our digital 26.6 FBT (also on RCN, WOW, and Comcast 248). For those outside the market, we might stream it on wciu.com but for sure it will be available early next week for download.

Join Gilbert and friends and watch all the fun..

If you have any suggestions, post now. Live call-in giveaways might be too much..

Starting at 12:01a, WWME will simulcast the WCIU programming on analog channel 23. For those "left behind", we will be broadcasting most of the WCIU program schedule with DTV transition messages in commercial breaks as well as simulcast news broadcasts from one of the network broadcast stations. Tune in Saturday morning to see who it is..

goaliebob99

06-10-09, 09:44 PM

Too bad we all couldnt join you.. I would love to be there when you hit the button. That would be way cool! :)

dattier

06-11-09, 12:30 AM

The signal may improve a bit after 4 goes off, but by and large, what you see is what you get.More a case of who sees them is whom they get.

According to the map I've seen, WOCK (digital 4) barely even reaches Des Plaines. More like Park Ridge, actually (as far as the NW suburbs go).I'm closer than that and can't receive it here. Maybe a much stronger antenna would pull it in.

Where does one find such maps? I remember once coming across a link to coverage maps of full-power stations (and I don't remember that link any more either), but it had no maps for CAs or LPs or LDs.

I really don't think it's TMJ that's hampering it.Neither do I.

sebenste

06-11-09, 01:30 AM

Join Gilbert and friends and watch all the fun..

Yessir, if all goes well, I'll be there with two others I'm bringing. One of them was an engineer at Zenith for 20 years who helped invent and develop DTV! He wanted to see analog shut down, and I'm making sure he does it right!

So, since I'll be on TV with you, got plenty of pancake makeup for me? :eek::D:p Ah, it's just 4:3 analog, the heck with it! :D

See you all at 11:45 PM Friday...be on 26.6 or analog 26 or be square!

Rammitinski

06-11-09, 02:20 AM

Where does one find such maps?I don't know, but here's a map of WOCK/WOCH -DT (should be the right one):

http://img329.imageshack.us/i/ca6181188868226.gif/

Trip in VA

06-11-09, 06:39 AM

I don't know, but here's a map of WOCK/WOCH -DT (should be the right one):

http://img329.imageshack.us/i/ca6181188868226.gif/

I think that's the analog on 13 (thus the null toward WREX).

This is the digital: http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=DC1303012.html

- Trip

Rammitinski

06-11-09, 06:51 AM

OK, thanks (I'll have to correct it on the site that I got it from - it's pretty important to the people there - not WOCK, but WOCH).

Unfortunately, that still doesn't look any better for me, though. I would hope that if they put WOCH on the UHF channel, too, the situation will be better. Otherwise I'll be losing it altogether (the analog version is coming in pretty good right now).

drhey19

06-11-09, 10:38 AM

swiat

06-11-09, 10:42 AM

My gift to you... The entire database within 175 km of Northbrook:
http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/tvq?state=&call=&arn=&city=&chan=&cha2=69&serv=&type=0&facid=&list=2&dist=175&dlat2=42&mlat2=7&slat2=27&dlon2=87&mlon2=47&slon2=13&size=9

This has the latest info from the FCC.

tvropro

06-11-09, 11:18 AM

http://cbs2chicago.com/digital

goaliebob99

06-11-09, 11:26 AM

http://cbs2chicago.com/digital

Thier clock is at ZERO!

dattier

06-11-09, 12:17 PM

http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=DC1303012.html

Thanks, Trip. I'm in that notch to the north (and so are their own offices at 5225 N. Kedzie).

tvropro

06-11-09, 01:03 PM

Thier clock is at ZERO!

Working for me, little less than a day as I type this.

stwhoges

06-11-09, 01:09 PM

Working for me, little less than a day as I type this.Yep, same for me too. It's on 23 hours and some odd minutes as I type this too.

tvropro

06-11-09, 01:10 PM

Thanks, Trip.* I'm in that notch to the north (and so are their own offices at 5225 N. Kedzie).

DTV 4 got stronger down south lately (maybe they cranked the power or tuned the stick) I just finished making a broadband low band VHF trap to attenuate to about 170 mhz. Tossed it in line and does a wizbang job. (funny what a couple caps can do) 4 in house is back to normal :) I'll have to live with a snowy channel 2 and 5 analog till tomorrow not that it means anything, I'll just use the digital 2 and 5 if needed.

goaliebob99

06-11-09, 05:02 PM

Working for me, little less than a day as I type this.

Yep, same for me too. It's on 23 hours and some odd minutes as I type this too.

This is what I see, Maybe its windows 7. :D

goaliebob99

06-11-09, 05:03 PM

Who's turning off at midnight tonight.

FSugino

06-11-09, 05:17 PM

This is what I see, Maybe its windows 7. :D

You have an ad blocker running that's blocking the flash application that does the countdown. So instead, you see the placeholder image that's a static clock. It's showing 19+ hours as I type this.

radioinsomnia

06-11-09, 05:30 PM

Who's turning off at midnight tonight.

I believe the answer is "nobody." The earliest shutdown time I've seen mentioned in this thread is WTTW, at 6am Friday.

andyross63

06-11-09, 05:45 PM

For those who can see bandwidth, has WLS done any more tweaking since adding LiveWell HD? All I know is it buffers 35+ minutes on my Comcast DVR, versus about 20-25 for most other HD.

TWinbrook46636

06-11-09, 06:07 PM

Just before I decided to hit the hay, I was flipping through the analogs, and noticed 11 was off. I tuned to 12-1 on a hunch. BINGO! WBBM-DT nearly PEGGING my signal meter! Oh, yeah! 8 kilowatts doing it loud and proud in DeKalb! See you in a week full time, 'BBM!

Whoo hoo!

I wonder if I will get it in Geneva with my Clearstream 4 since it is technically just a UHF antenna?

swiat

06-11-09, 06:11 PM

Has anyone seen WGN-DT 9-1 lately? The HD signal over the weekend during the Cubs game had issues with motion and small macroblocking.
The news last night had similar issues.

Are they dedicating too many bits to LATV?

In comparison, WSBT was coming in last night pretty well. With 3 subchannels, 22-1 looked GREAT! The sharpness amazed me. The other SD channels looked pretty good too. Who is the WSBT engineer? Good job! I'm curious how the bit rates compare: WSBT 22-1 vs WGN 9-1.

tvropro

06-11-09, 06:12 PM

This is what I see, Maybe its windows 7. :D

Let's clear this up. here's my picture. I use Firefox 3 and flash 10. Maybe your flash is older.

goaliebob99

06-11-09, 06:18 PM

Let's clear this up. here's my picture. I use Firefox 3 and flash 10. Maybe your flash is older.

Yep thats got to be it...

Back on topic, WCIU just ran their first, the ship is sinking spot. Im glad to see they are running it during programming instead of running it during commercials. They must pay the bills some how :D

tvropro

06-11-09, 06:25 PM

For those who can see bandwidth, has WLS done any more tweaking since adding LiveWell HD? All I know is it buffers 35+ minutes on my Comcast DVR, versus about 20-25 for most other HD.

I was looking at 7.1 earlier today and it had tons of mosquito noise in it. They really messed up that channel with the 2 HD's. But it's all about quantity not quality. :eek:

stwhoges

06-11-09, 07:15 PM

This is what I see, Maybe its windows 7. :DHmm, I still see the clock counting down. Odd, that's for sure.

Let's clear this up. here's my picture. I use Firefox 3 and flash 10. Maybe your flash is older.Yep, that's what I see too, the clock counting down as well.

Satsince1978

06-11-09, 07:44 PM

retromzc

06-11-09, 07:58 PM

Who's turning off at midnight tonight.

According to WGN's website which I checked at 6:55 p.m., they will sign off analog at midnight tonight. Their on-air countdown clock showed tomorrow at noonish.

George Mari

06-11-09, 08:01 PM

Interesting...

I know we were supposed to wait to find out until Saturday morning, but anyway...

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/towerticker/2009/06/wmaqtv-wgntv-partner-with-weigel-broadcasting-for-analog-lifeline.html

R Johnson

06-11-09, 08:04 PM

For those who can see bandwidth, has WLS done any more tweaking since adding LiveWell HD? All I know is it buffers 35+ minutes on my Comcast DVR, versus about 20-25 for most other HD.
At a few minutes after 7PM, approximate average video rates
7.1 - 11.5 Mbps
7.2 - 4.8
7.3 - 1.3

hvs10trk

06-11-09, 09:29 PM

Yessir, if all goes well, I'll be there with two others I'm bringing. One of them was an engineer at Zenith for 20 years who helped invent and develop DTV! He wanted to see analog shut down, and I'm making sure he does it right!

So, since I'll be on TV with you, got plenty of pancake makeup for me? :eek::D:p Ah, it's just 4:3 analog, the heck with it! :D

See you all at 11:45 PM Friday...be on 26.6 or analog 26 or be square!

I'll be there but behind the camera this time.

hvs10trk

06-11-09, 09:31 PM

Yep thats got to be it...

Back on topic, WCIU just ran their first, the ship is sinking spot. Im glad to see they are running it during programming instead of running it during commercials. They must pay the bills some how :D

Just wait till the White Sox game tommorow night!!

hvs10trk

06-11-09, 09:35 PM

For those who can see bandwidth, has WLS done any more tweaking since adding LiveWell HD? All I know is it buffers 35+ minutes on my Comcast DVR, versus about 20-25 for most other HD.

It appears the Bandwidth hasn't changed, but thats hard to tell in VBR. It does appear to be in the same ball park as before.

videoguy60467

06-11-09, 09:49 PM

It appears the Bandwidth hasn't changed, but thats hard to tell in VBR. It does appear to be in the same ball park as before.

Is this the current view during the game? The NBA Final on 7-1 is not great with a fair amount of blocking, but Livewell HD is terrible. :eek:
(But not more terrible than without the game... it does not look like they are starving it for better PQ on 7-1)

goaliebob99

06-11-09, 09:57 PM

BTW WCIU will be showing NBC 5 news at certin times, and WGN news at other times... There is a whole schedule layed out on analoge METV right now. Also baseball games are dependant upon the news, guess you cant show MLB if you dont have the rights to that game.

surf_fun85

06-11-09, 11:04 PM

My guess is that the news will be from WGN.....

Yes You are correct :)

Awesomeness

06-12-09, 01:16 AM

Has anyone been able to get channel 2.1 that wasn't able to get it in the past? Is 2.1 broadcasting with more power?

sebenste

06-12-09, 01:19 AM

I'll be there but behind the camera this time.

YOU gotta look at my mug through the viewfinder tonight? Hope Kyle gives up his pay for you taking the hit on that one...;) :D

dattier

06-12-09, 01:39 AM

Has anyone been able to get channel 2.1 that wasn't able to get it in the past?

That's not going to happen until noon CDT.

Meanwhile, WGN has not shut analog off yet.

sebenste

06-12-09, 01:43 AM

Welcome to "D-Day" (digital day), everyone. WFLD-TV 32 has been designated to be a "night light" station through June 26, and will stay on and repeat the message that "you missed the analog transition", and "here's how to program your converter box".

As a reminder, in time sequence:

Channel 11 signs off at 5:59 AM
2, 5 and 7 sign off at noon
38 and 50 are unknown
Everybody else is gone at 11:59 PM, but WCIU signs off at 11:59:59,
being the first and last analog UHF station in Chicago to sign on and then sign off.
32 will "night light", as mention above, through June 26.

Now, let's help WBBM (2.1), WLS (7.x), WXFT (60.1) and WGBO (66.1) with reception reports! 2 and 7 will be moving to new physical channels at noon, the latter two move at midnight.
Let the engineers know:

Your location (closest major cross street), city and state
What your tuner is (TV model if it has a built-in DTV tuner), or converter box model (such as Zenith DTT-901, etc)
What make and model antenna you are using, if possible (if you don't know, take a camera phone picture or digital camera picture and upload it, if possible)
Where the antenna is located (on top of TV, in attic, on top of roof, on top of 30' tower), and note antenna height, if possible; if it's indoors, is it inside a home, apartment or office building? If so, let us know!

Reception quality as follows: No signal, weak signal with no lock, signal lock but with frequent/intermittent/rare picture breakups, or a solid/hard lock...
And then: signal quality meter (the thing that has like 5 or 10 "bars" that "light up" showing how well it is, or on the Zenith's, a "poor fair good" bar). HOWEVER, while that is certainly helpful, if your tuner has a signal to noise ratio, give that! That's MONEY to engineers.
If possible, what type of cable you are using (RG-59, RG-6, RG-6 quad shielded), and length of cable between the tuner and the antenna.

This will help Mr. Schneke and Mr. Hassan, and others, determine how good/bad their coverage is. Hopefully, it will be good! Regardless, your reports will help them to make that call and any further steps they may want to take to improve their signals.

This is our one shot to really give them our input and help them out on this huge project. Let's tell 'em what we're seeing...or not seeing!

sebenste

06-12-09, 01:54 AM

Most, um, interesting question of the day so far from those asking me about the DTV transition:

"Can you hook me up with free cable?"

I said, "Sure! It just won't be connected to anything on the other end..." :D

WBBMTOM

06-12-09, 02:09 AM

Thanks Gilbert. I will check in later in the afternoon to see what the reports look like-we might just find a few hats for our "reporters". BTW, WGN is at 23:59

sebenste

06-12-09, 02:23 AM

Thanks Gilbert. I will check in later in the afternoon to see what the reports look like-we might just find a few hats for our "reporters". BTW, WGN is at 23:59

You're most welcome, Tom, and thanks for the info! First DTV channel transition underway: at 12:01 AM, WGBO-DT 54 (resolved to 66.1) and WXFT-DT 59 (resolved to 60.1) signed off, presumably for their transmitter re-tool and related activity. They have 23 hours to get 'er done!
Edit: WPWR is now temporarily off. WXFT is now on 50, but with a very bad signal; they shut WXFT off, and WISC-DT Madison came in out here. Hopefully that was a bad test...

P.S...Tom, please keep checking in over the days, weeks and months to come. We'd love to have you stick around!

hvs10trk

06-12-09, 06:00 AM

Is this the current view during the game? The NBA Final on 7-1 is not great with a fair amount of blocking, but Livewell HD is terrible. :eek:
(But not more terrible than without the game... it does not look like they are starving it for better PQ on 7-1)
Yep. Livewell was horrible looking. I was flipping between WLS and WTVO with a noticable difference.

hvs10trk

06-12-09, 06:04 AM

pm3839

06-12-09, 07:28 AM

tvropro

06-12-09, 07:51 AM

12 is up and testing as I type this. There signal is all over the place hope they get that stabilized before commencement. (probably tuning the SWR's)

I watched 11 pull the plug... Poof and it's gone now my VCR won't set its time anymore :(

Update:
12 went down again, must be bending that coathanger :rolleyes: to get it bent right. :D

dattier

06-12-09, 08:18 AM

wttw rf ch 11 went off the air for the last time today at a few seconds before 6 am exactly....no fanfare...no announcement...not even an old 'indian head' test pattern for old times sake....they just went away in mid-program....oh well...thats the way it goes sometimes...Thanks; I was trying to get up and watch it (Christian Farr had said it would take place at 5:58 AM) but fell back asleep on my way out of bed.

12 is up and testing as I type this.

Update:
12 went down again, must be bending that coathanger :rolleyes: to get it bent right. :DOr maybe the test was done? Nothing is coming in on 12 now.

Has WJYS pulled its analog plug? Reception here was always iffy (though their digital station comes in well on our roof antenna and one of the indoor antennas), but analog 62 looks like a static card with some illegible text on it.

tvropro

06-12-09, 08:27 AM

Or maybe the test was done?* Nothing is coming in on 12 now.

Im not sure if there done. I would think they would have to power down to make mechanical adjustments. Don't need RF burn :eek:

Has WJYS pulled its analog plug?* Reception here was always iffy (though their digital station comes in well on our roof antenna and one of the indoor antennas), but analog 62 looks like a static card with some illegible text on it.

62 is up and running a piece on the conversion telling you about converter boxes.

dattier

06-12-09, 08:34 AM

62 is up and running a piece on the conversion telling you about converter boxes.Between the time you posted that and the time I saw it, 7:30 AM came and went; 62.1 is now showing an infomercial for exercise equipment.

I did see a brief still with a PSA and "WJYS-TV/WJYS-DT" at the bottom, but that could mean only that they were reusing an old still.

tvropro

06-12-09, 08:49 AM

12 is back up high and stable. By me 3's signal still has them beat on my DTT-900. Probably because of multipath down SW here from Sears. Curious to see how it turns out in the end.

WBBMTOM

06-12-09, 08:59 AM

This could be the only posting ever that preferred "3"!

tvropro

06-12-09, 09:06 AM

This could be the only posting ever that preferred "3"!

11 analog had a slight ghost in it so did one or two others from Sears by me. Im thinking that reflection is being carried over on 12 and causing errors which is bringing my quality down. BTW what type of error correction are you guys running?

Channel 3 has always been outstanding by me. I did get electrical impulse noise on 2 analog from Com-Ed's poor leaky wiring in my alley but that didn't seem to hamper 3's signal. Go figure, as you know as an engineer that textbook sometimes get thrown out the window in real life situations. :eek:

WBBMTOM

06-12-09, 09:15 AM

Tis true-the antenna appears ready to go-see you at noon.

goaliebob99

06-12-09, 09:30 AM

Yea I issed the 12 testing again, But I can wait untill noon. Seems like sence yeasterday I lost abc7 digital. Dont know if they took it down or went down on power. The rest of my UhF's including the remainging analouge ones are comeing in Extremely well down here in Bourbonnais. 3 1/2 hours to go ;) Looks like WLS is doing a telethon over there.

tvropro

06-12-09, 09:32 AM

goaliebob99

06-12-09, 09:36 AM

This is more of a question for WLS and WBBM, Have you notified Directv of your new allotments, Their High def equipment, the ota portion of it, is pre programmed in by Directv, and coustomers cant scan them in. Its very stupid, but if the box still thinks cbs is at 3 and wls is at 52, then the box obiously wont pick up the signal at noon.

goaliebob99

06-12-09, 09:37 AM

7.1 coming in fine on UHF 52 this morning up here in Chi town.

Thanks, Im going to look into it. :)

WBBMTOM

06-12-09, 09:40 AM

EVERYONE has been notified!

tvropro

06-12-09, 09:40 AM

Tis true-the antenna appears ready to go-see you at noon.

Hope you guys bent that coat hanger a bit more my way :D I don't want to have to start watching my CBS programming on DVB from the Virgin Islands or spend some tall bucks getting the equipment to pull in the CBS HD backhauls on C band.

Channel 2's High Def is one of the best out there keep it sub channel free and you'll always be tops in my book.

goaliebob99

06-12-09, 09:48 AM

Hope you guys bent that coat hanger a bit more my way :D I don't want to have to start watching my CBS programming on DVB from the Virgin Islands or spend some tall bucks getting the equipment to pull in the CBS HD backhauls on C band.

Channel 2's High Def is one of the best out there keep it sub channel free and you'll always be tops in my book.

A nice quad core pc, and a dvbs2 card can have that. :D. Allthough the new recivers coming out can do 4:2:2 chroma and all that. Allthogh CBS has the best signal in town, so I rarly watch that feed anyhow, Now that I can get it just as reliable as everything else im a happy camper. (hopefully) :)

EVERYONE has been notified!

Thanks Tom. Just wanted to make sure. I saw that you guys were looking for help on the cbs website. I sent in my app to you all. :)

swiat

06-12-09, 09:51 AM

Yep. Livewell was horrible looking. I was flipping between WLS and WTVO with a noticable difference.

Were you referring to the signal or the programming? :) Either applies.

tvropro

06-12-09, 09:55 AM

A nice quad core pc, and a dvbs2 card can have that. :D. Allthough the new recivers coming out can do 4:2:2 chroma and all that. Allthogh CBS has the best signal in town, so I rarly watch that feed anyhow, Now that I can get it just as reliable as everything else im a happy camper. (hopefully) :)

Im thinking about building a dedicated Pc just to do all the HD stuff on C and ku band. ;) The cool part about a pc is if a codec changes you just need to do a minor update. Unlike a receiver STB where your kinda stuck.

My only concern with 12 is if the multipath I get going to cause any cliff effect because of errors. :( Have to scan my Aquos at noon and see how that fairs.

dwright944

06-12-09, 10:16 AM

I just caught Milwaukee's channel 10 analog sign off. They played the Star Spangled Banner video followed by the old Indian Head Test Pattern.
It brought a tear to my eye.

tvropro

06-12-09, 10:34 AM

I just caught Milwaukee's channel 10 analog sign off. They played the Star Spangled Banner video followed by the old Indian Head Test Pattern.
It brought a tear to my eye.

That's cool :) 11 here just dropped to snow.

stwhoges

06-12-09, 11:17 AM

Welcome to "D-Day" (digital day), everyone...
This is our one shot to really give them our input and help them out on this huge project. Let's tell 'em what we're seeing...or not seeing!
Will do. I'll be sure to toss in a report and once I get my laptop back I can upload a picture of the antenna we are using to help out (since I don't have the program loaded on our desktop computer).

dattier

06-12-09, 11:29 AM

12 is back up high and stable.Missed it again; damn.

tvropro

06-12-09, 11:31 AM

Missed it again; damn.

Don't worry it will be up in about an hour and a half for good. :)

dattier

06-12-09, 11:34 AM

Hope so, Rope Ro.

goaliebob99

06-12-09, 11:38 AM

WFLD is now running a crawl on their analoge channel, meanwhile the WLS telethon continues. Were an hour and a half away. :)

tvropro

06-12-09, 11:41 AM

WFLD is now running a crawl on their analoge channel, meanwhile the WLS telethon continues. Were an hour and a half away. :) So is WPWR analog, Im watching Retro Jams now on G-18 waiting for noon. :)

goaliebob99

06-12-09, 11:52 AM

So who's taking what station :D

bluegras

06-12-09, 12:10 PM

Tom from Channel 2 was on couple mintues ago talking about the turn off of analog at noon i just wanted to let you know

sebenste

06-12-09, 12:27 PM

So who's taking what station :D

I can't watch 2 or 5! MAJOR E-skip right now. Watching WSAV-TV 3 Savannah, GA right over WBBM-DT 3!

Awesomeness

06-12-09, 12:38 PM

I can't watch 2 or 5! MAJOR E-skip right now. Watching WSAV-TV 3 Savannah, GA right over WBBM-DT 3!

How are you getting Savannah, GA OTA?

Trip in VA

06-12-09, 12:39 PM

How are you getting Savannah, GA OTA?

E-skip.

- Trip

goaliebob99

06-12-09, 12:41 PM

I can't watch 2 or 5! MAJOR E-skip right now. Watching WSAV-TV 3 Savannah, GA right over WBBM-DT 3!

Looks like were all on 7... I cat see 2 or 5 either.... Im on my UHF

CruelInventions

06-12-09, 12:43 PM

ok, I've been keeping up with reading (or at least skimming) this thread but need clarification on one point..

If I'm already tuned to strictly digital OTA channels and have no analog channels in the channel lineup of my tuner.. do I need to rescan those existing digital channels?

I think the answer is "yes" as some of those channels will still be changing their frequency or locations (whatever the applicable term here), but a confirmation would be appreciated.

goaliebob99

06-12-09, 12:44 PM

How are you getting Savannah, GA OTA?

He's catching a signal from the troposphere way up in the sky.. the signal goes up and bounces off the troposphere and back down. When the conditions are right, its common for a signal to travel thousands of miles, but the conditions have to be just about perfect for that. With the approaching front from the west, conditions are pretty good for that. Normally you wouldnt see this..

goaliebob99

06-12-09, 12:46 PM

tvropro

06-12-09, 12:46 PM

I can't watch 2 or 5! MAJOR E-skip right now. Watching WSAV-TV 3 Savannah, GA right over WBBM-DT 3!

May prove interesting when 2 pull's the plug at 12 noon. I remember back in the 80's a station from Nebraska knocked out channel 2 with e skip. I had the rotor turned NW. Funny thing was Channel 2's transmitter was only 8 miles from me. :eek:

tvropro

06-12-09, 12:50 PM

Looks like were all on 7... I cat see 2 or 5 either.... Im on my UHF

I can see the local analog's here. Im going to watch 2 analog pull the plug at 12 and then see if 2.1 is still up on 3. If not I'm doing the scan on the AQUOS and see how 12 comes in.

TheKorn

06-12-09, 12:51 PM

Here I stand, ready and waiting, with boltcutters in hand to cut the coax running to my "CONGRESS SUCKS!!" antenna.

Ten minutes to go! :D

kd9fz

06-12-09, 01:01 PM

bclbob

06-12-09, 01:02 PM

It all looks good on my DirecTV HR-20. About 10 minutes ago both 2-1 and 7-1 were not working but they're on now. I suspect DirecTV sent the new mapping out a few minutes early. 2 & 7 HD via the satellite is working fine with no issues.

I'm pleasantly surprised!

wymann

06-12-09, 01:03 PM

EVERYONE has been notified!

One of my Digital Tuners always reboots when I try to tune CBS (for months now before this transition). I have heard this is caused by TVGuide datacasting. Is there any change of switching this off or fixing the bug that crashes some tuners? Otherwise CBS is unwatchable on that tuner.

goaliebob99

06-12-09, 01:03 PM

Well.... 7 sucked... No fan fair.. no flipping of the switch... Just snow. Still no 7 or 12 here...

bclbob

06-12-09, 01:06 PM

oops, might have spoken too soon, now 2-1 not showing.

goaliebob99

06-12-09, 01:08 PM

Talk about Eskip, Im picking up a station from Orlando Florida with their DTV card on. On my Channel Master 4228 Antenna. ON CHANNEL 2

WKCF
WESH

Thats on Analogue BTW.

Wireman134

06-12-09, 01:09 PM

WBBM-DT2 how full strength 10 bars on ch 12.
Analog shut down minutes prior to 12pm, digital on ch 3 shut down shortly after there was a lag in powerup of WBBM on Ch12 for a minute or two there was no WBBM

sebenste

06-12-09, 01:10 PM

DTV reception report from DeKalb, IL (60 miles due west of Sears Tower using a GPS to confirm that):

Location: just northeast of Annie Glidden Road and Bethany Road, northwest side of DeKalb, IL

Tuner: Zenith DTT-900 (6th generation, no analog pass-through)

Antenna: Winegard VHF-only from the 1970s, a beast: a 14' long, VHF-only antenna with 32 active elements. Located in my one-story townhome attic on the south side of it, low near a river valley, pointed at Sears. Approximately 18' above ground level. Townhome partially blocking view to Chicago to my east.

Reception quality: I have no signal-to-noise display, sorry. I have a signal "quality" meter. Anything above 50% quality locks hard. WLS-DT rf 7 is at roughly 65%-68%, WBBM-DT rf 12 is 80%-85%. Both are hard locks, no breakups.

I am using RG-6 quad shielded cable on a 30' cable run. A 10' RG-6 quad shielded cable runs from the antenna to a ChannelMaster 7777 preamplifier, which acts as a diplexer from my ChannelMaster 4228 classic UHF antenna,
also in my attic.

First stage of the preamp is in the attic, second stage is in the basement. Distance between second stage and my TV is 10'.

Lord Vader

06-12-09, 01:11 PM

Not for me. ALL of my OTA subchannels now give me the "Searching for Sat." signal! :mad:

This irritates me. I never was able to get 2.1 because of my being 30 miles SW of the Loop, but I was always able to get all the other subchannels (for 5, 7, 9, etc.). Now not a damn one of them comes in!

CruelInventions

06-12-09, 01:12 PM

your answer is yes. .........

alrighty then! (& thank you kindly) :)

goaliebob99

06-12-09, 01:14 PM

Down here in Bourbonnais, IL No WLS or WBBM... Grabbing the digital signal meter and fine tuning the antenna again.

tvropro

06-12-09, 01:21 PM

Well I saw 2 analog pull the plug. 12pm went to snow 2.1 was gone on 3 too. Switched over to 12 on the Zenith and it was up. I just finished scanning the AQUOS everything is fine 2.1 on 12 is giving me 82 signal and 7.1 on 7 is giving me 91. One more rescan tomorrow and I'm done.

BTW thanks channel 2 Tom for bending that coat hanger for 12 my way :D

rec630

06-12-09, 01:22 PM

Using a Zentih DTT901 with a set top antenna, I now get a watchable channel 2-1 WBBM with minimal pixelation which I didn't get before. Unfortunately I can't get enough of a lock on the new WLS signal on RF7 to lock in. I suspect I need a different antenna to better deal with the VHF-Hi

bclbob

06-12-09, 01:24 PM

WSAV on ch 3. wow :)

bclbob

06-12-09, 01:27 PM

Whats OTA analog 6? or an I on my cable? :eek:

mk1277

06-12-09, 01:28 PM

DTV reception report from Plainfield, IL

Location: Southwest of Caton Farm Rd. and Rt. 59.

Tuner: Mitsubishi WD-65733 HDTV ATSC built-in (6th generation)

Antenna: Philips MANT101 (I think). Picked it up at Menard's a over a year ago. It's up in the attic and aimed using a compass between Sears and Hancock. No pre-amps or amps. Cabling is RG-6 and somewhere between 50' and 100' run. No splitters. Single run from antenna to wall jack in basement. Small patch cable from TV to wall (less than 10').

Reception quality: Like Sebenste I have no signal-to-noise display. I also have a signal "quality" meter. Anything above 40-50% quality easily locks. I was even getting WBBM with only about 30% (with breakups) prior to the switch today.

Major networks 2.1, 5.1, 9.1, 11.1, 32.1 all at about 85-100%. Exception being 7.1 at about 75%. Other channels range from about 60% (20.1, 35.1) on up to 100% (50.1).

Note: I also have two other tuners to try: DirecTV TiVo HR10-250 and an LG LST-3510 DVD/ATSC.

Edit: I now have one tuner to check. A quick look at the DirecTV unit shows numbers almost exactly the same as posted above using my eyeballs and the Mitsu signal meter. :) I didn't bother checking all the frequencies or to write down the exact numbers. If any of the engineers really want it, let me know. For what it's worth, I couldn't pull down 56.1 reliably from either tuner but I think that's transmitting from IN in a completely different direction from my antenna LOL.

Awesomeness

06-12-09, 01:29 PM

goaliebob99

06-12-09, 01:33 PM

Were you able to get 2.1 before the switch?

Is anyone able to get 2.1 today that wasn't able to get 2.1 before the switch?

Im working on it.. I think I need a new antenna though, as my 4228 is starting to crap out on some frequency's, Plus with added tree's in the way that are like 30 feet above the roof line of my house, im beginning to think im SOL, also, my digital meter decided that it wanted to run out of battery power.. Persistence will pay off though. :)

rec630

06-12-09, 01:34 PM

Were you able to get 2.1 before the switch?

Is anyone able to get 2.1 today that wasn't able to get 2.1 before the switch?

Yes...could not get it before but can get it now.

dicko2

06-12-09, 01:36 PM

I can't watch 2 or 5! MAJOR E-skip right now. Watching WSAV-TV 3 Savannah, GA right over WBBM-DT 3!

Gilbert
This is right up your alley.

There's a theory that says E skip is associated with summertime thunderstorms. Are there any storms halfway between Chicago and Savannah right now?

dicko2

06-12-09, 01:39 PM

tvropro

06-12-09, 01:40 PM

WSAV on ch 3. wow :)

Same here WSAV on 3 also getting something on 2 and 5 not sure what. :D

tvropro

06-12-09, 01:41 PM

Were you able to get 2.1 before the switch?

Is anyone able to get 2.1 today that wasn't able to get 2.1 before the switch?

Yes no problem.

sebenste

06-12-09, 01:41 PM

Gilbert
This is right up your alley.

There's a theory that says E skip is associated with summertime thunderstorms. Are there any storms halfway between Chicago and Savannah right now?

Summertime storms can help because they cause disturbances in the ionosphere (not troposphere). But right now, there are no storms, as of 12:30 PM, between us and them. There will be in the next 1-2 hours, though.

And count me as one who could get WBBM only a few times a year, although oddly enough, I got it a few nights ago due to tropo.

sebenste

06-12-09, 01:43 PM

Mike_TV

06-12-09, 01:43 PM

Out here in Gilberts, IL (60136). No WLS or WBBM at 12:43 PM on 6/12/09. I was previously able to get WLS without a problem.

sebenste

06-12-09, 01:45 PM

I've attached some spectrum analyzer pictures of ch7 and ch12, before and after the switchover.

Overall, I'm a bit disappointed. I was expecting more signal. I'd have to say WBBM definitely gained over their old signal and WLS lost a bit.

I'm out in Woodstock, rt47 and Country Club Rd.

I take back what I said about SNR being "money". Well, it is, but Dicko2, you'll make Tom wet his pants when he sees that. :D

sebenste

06-12-09, 01:46 PM

Out here in Gilberts, IL (60136). No WLS or WBBM at 12:43 PM on 6/12/09. I was previously able to get WLS without a problem.

What antenna are you using, and where is it?

tvropro

06-12-09, 01:47 PM

http://www.wesh.com/index.html

Getting it on 2 this is cool :D

Gotta figure out 5 still.

Fired up my old Zenith retro 80's tv on 2 analog and took a couple pictures of Orlando 2 in Chicago :cool:

sdire

06-12-09, 01:49 PM

Channel 2.1. Never could watch it before due to picture breakup. Signal strength on my Dish network 922
was in the 90% area. Now the move to 12 has my DSR922 at 100% with no breakup. Channel 7.1 was in the 95% area but was perfect. Now at 100%. 30ft Rohn tower with a new Winegard 7084. 22 mi west of The Willis Tower.

tmb017

06-12-09, 01:54 PM

I'm in Racine about 60 miles from the towers. I haven't touched my antenna, a CM4228, which is hanging in a 1st story bedroom. I am seeing signal strength on my HDHR software as follows: Channel 7: low to mid 70's, Channel 12: low to mid 80's. I am not able to lock on to either as the signal quality and symbol quality are horrible. It was able to lock on to 12 once when I went in the other room to move the antenna around slightly. I plan on getting an antenna up on the roof sometime before mid September. I was just waiting to see if I would need to buy a different one. I guess I won't really know til I get this one outside for testing. I can tell you my signals from Chicago aren't usually very good in the summer. All I really care about though is football season through May sweeps.

Tom

dwright944

06-12-09, 02:00 PM

Location: northwest side of Waukegan, one block just south east of Waukegan airport.

Tuners: Zenith DTT-900 - WLS-DT rf 7 is around 60%, WBBM-DT rf 12 is around 75%. No breakups.

also

Samsung TX-P2675WH CRT HDTV about 6 years old, WLS-DT at 6 bars and WBBM-DT at 6 bars. No breakups.

Antenna: Channel Master (model number unknown)VHF/UHF Combo pointed to Milwaukee. Located on roof one-story ranch home.
About 18 feet above ground level.

I am using RG-6 (not quad shield) cable on a 30' cable run to basement crawl space, to an old Radio Shack distribution amplifier with all 6 outputs each connected to approximately 10 - 15 ft RG-6 cable.

All other Chicago stations are coming in great, as well as my Milwaukee stations.
I am now a very happy man. :)

goaliebob99

06-12-09, 02:03 PM

sebenste

06-12-09, 02:05 PM

NO WLS or WBBM here.. No matter where I point my antenna, they just wont come in. I can see the signal levels fluctuate on every other channel on my atsc meter. The funny part was I got Analoge 7 fine, and analoge 11 fine, As well as 52.

:( I ended up loosing channels instead of gaining.

Bob,

I find it hard to believe you are getting ZERO signal with a 4228, as people in Racine are at least getting something...if you are getting zero, I wonder if something is funky with your software or tuner...

Also, for the record, WCPX-TV 38 signed off at noon as well.

goaliebob99

06-12-09, 02:06 PM

Strike that, I was able to get WLS to come in.. on my pansat 9200, still no wbbm though... Got a feeling that I need to go to ratshack and pick up a cheap long range antenna.

goaliebob99

06-12-09, 02:08 PM

Bob,

I find it hard to believe you are getting ZERO signal with a 4228, as people in Racine are at least getting something...if you are getting zero, I wonder if something is funky with your software or tuner...

Sebenste, Im really begging to think it's my antenna or the balloon on it.

I can get wpwr at 100 percent....

NBC at 100,
WCIU at 92
WGN at 100
WFLD at 100
wwto at 60
WLS at 56 with breakups
No WBBM
NO WTTW
NO WYCC

jpeckinp

06-12-09, 02:08 PM

I lost WLS but gained WBBM. My WBBM signal is mid 70's and my WLS has a hard time at 60 and won't lock. I guess I'll have to tweak some more when I get home from work.

Satsince1978

06-12-09, 02:12 PM

WBBM is coming in perfect here in South Bend! Signal strength is 78. was around 60 on channel 3!
Odd thing when they turned analog 2 off and digital 3 off I am receiving WESH channel 2 from Orlando FL.And KYUS channel 3 from Billings MT. It has been a fun day so far!
Jim

155

06-12-09, 02:14 PM

I lost WLS and did not gain WBBM in Wheeling near Palwaukee.

Tried two antennas, HDTVi and Clearstream2.

Back to the drawing board :(

Mike_TV

06-12-09, 02:15 PM

What antenna are you using, and where is it?

It's a Winegard Sensar (not sure the exact model) mounted outside on the top apex of the roof (no trees) installed by a local installer early last year.

I have a Winegard PS-1503 power supply inserter injector inside the house.

dicko2

06-12-09, 02:17 PM

http://www.wesh.com/index.html

Getting it on 2 this is cool :D

Gotta figure out 5 still.

Fired up my old Zenith retro 80's tv on 2 analog and took a couple pictures of Orlando 2 in Chicago :cool:

Years ago, I used to do TV DXing. The best I ever got were stations in Monterray Mexico, and Calgary Canada. As I recall, Florida was easy to get too.

Since WESH is Florida, this must be a particularly strong E skip. There's what looks like a strong storm system in Missouri and Arkansas. I wonder if thats throwing out ionized clouds that are catching a fast moving breeze and moving ahead of it.

jldet5

06-12-09, 02:23 PM

Getting everthing pretty good out here in Algonquin. 7 is now the weakest at around 70 percent. Haven't seen any break ups. Running a Winegard 8200 about 25 foot up with QS split twice to 6 different TV / Tuners.

my_man_manny

06-12-09, 02:25 PM

Near 22 and 83 in Buffalo Grove area. 20-year-old attic antenna, Insignia converter box. Was getting WLS fine and WBBM maybe 25% of the time, dependent on weather. Now getting neither. Both maybe at 30-40% power.

Manny

hvs10trk

06-12-09, 02:27 PM

Were you referring to the signal or the programming? :) Either applies.

Picture quality.

goaliebob99

06-12-09, 02:28 PM

tvropro

06-12-09, 02:34 PM

Years ago, I used to do TV DXing. The best I ever got were stations in Monterray Mexico, and Calgary Canada. As I recall, Florida was easy to get too.

Since WESH is Florida, this must be a particularly strong E skip. There's what looks like a strong storm system in Missouri and Arkansas. I wonder if thats throwing out ionized clouds that are catching a fast moving breeze and moving ahead of it.

I was big into DXing in the 80's. On E skip I got Butte Montana, Boston Ma, St Johns Newfoundland Canada, Some Nebraska Station and one from Texas and Mississippi.

I was also getting WSAV Savanna Georgia on 3. My antenna is pointing NE so that didn't help but it was good to see some good old analog Dxing on it's last day. Looking forward to do some digital tropo work when I get my new UHF antenna up on a rotor this summer.

Too bad digital camera's weren't around back in the day. I could have got some cool snaps of DXing in the past. I do have some stuff on video tape though :) BTW that old 19" Zenith 1983 vintage was a great tv for Dxing. I still use it in my kitchen, never was in the shop and works great.

tvropro

06-12-09, 02:36 PM

Sounds like from the reports on 7 and 12 that a power increase from the FCC is due to these stations.. They should at least match the power of what their Analoge channels were. For WBBM, they would match what ever WTTW had on 11.

Textbook states that digital don't need as much power as analog to get the job done. Now all the skeletons are going to come out of the woodwork as they see how well or not digital is going to perform in the real world. I think the FCC has got a lot of work to do.

sebenste

06-12-09, 02:42 PM

Sebenste, Im really begging to think it's my antenna or the balloon on it.

I can get wpwr at 100 percent....

NBC at 100,
WCIU at 92
WGN at 100
WFLD at 100
wwto at 60
WLS at 56 with breakups
No WBBM
NO WTTW
NO WYCC

WWTO-DT 10 is at full power, off the side of it. So if you can get 10, 7 and 12 should come in...

CHEBANSE

06-12-09, 02:44 PM

Location Chebanse IL 60922 62 miles south on I-57

Equip 2007 Winegard 8200HD, Winegard AP-8280, 50Ft RG-6, 30ft Tower
LG 42PB4D Plasma

Previous to switch WBBM Unlockable 20% Now Lockable 100%
Previous to switch WLS Lockable 99% Now Unlockable 20%

I am very happy to have a lock on WBBM for the first time and very disappointed to see WLS become unwatchable.

All other channels DTV 2/5/9/11/23/26/32/44/50/62/66 are lockable and still very watchable.

I hope WLS has some power left or can redirect.

Thanks,

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=145133&stc=1&d=1244831407

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=145135&stc=1&d=1244831722

Acteng

06-12-09, 02:46 PM

I'm trying to rescan on my TIVO HD unit and it appears that the result of the scan disagrees with the internal channel database... it is still looking for channel 7.x on RF52 and 2.1 on RF3. Anyone else seeing this?

retromzc

06-12-09, 02:50 PM

WBBM and WLS Report from Plano (approx. 50 miles w/sw of downtown)

Antenna - Winegard 8200 on 40 ft tower
Tuner - Built in Sony and two DirecTv tuners

WBBM - Coming in better than I've ever seen it ota!
SS varies from 87 - 93%
AGC% = 41
SNR = 29.55 - 31.14
One very minor audio break up noticed so far.
DirecTv receiver H20-100 would never lock the signal on rf3. Locks it fine now!
Now let's see what happens when lightning invades the area.
WLS - SS varies from 76 -87%
AGC% = 43
SNR = 28.97 - 30.64
A few video and audio break ups noted. I was afraid of this with their lower
power level. They need more power.

As others have noted, once WBBM signed off analog I can also see WESH Orlando's digital change slide on analog 2 and also can see WSAV Savannah's digital change slide on analog 3.

Mike_TV

06-12-09, 02:52 PM

Sebenste - Scratch my original post. I "revisited" my home run in the basement and forgot about the install of a UPS a few months ago where I ran the antenna through the surge protector. Adding these two extra cables/connections degraded my signal just enough to kill WLS and WBBM for me. Removing the surge protector from the equation and doing a re-scan...

I can now get WBBM (2.1) CBS Chicago where I didn't not have it before.

Also restored WLS (7.1) WLS Chicago where I had it prior to today.

So out of Gilberts, IL (60136) roughly 45 miles NW of Chicago and using a Winegard Sensar roof mounted antenna, I'm able to receive the following...

WBBM 2.1
WMAQ 5.1
WLS 7.1
WGN 9.1
WTTW 11.1
WREX 13.1
WTCC 20.1
WCIU 26.1
WFLD 32.1
WCPX 38.1
WPWR 50.1
WXFT 60.1
WGBO 66.1

marc_stan

06-12-09, 02:56 PM

Very useful info...thanks!

wymann

06-12-09, 03:00 PM

Well, I'm getting most of the new channels on my various tuners, except that 38-2 locks up my HR10 DirecTiVo OTA tuner and I have to unplug it and reboot. I didn't try the higher 38- subchannels, but all other higher and lower channels seem to be coming okay.

goaliebob99

06-12-09, 03:14 PM

WWTO-DT 10 is at full power, off the side of it. So if you can get 10, 7 and 12 should come in...

Yep, now heres a question.. With trees is it an all or nothing thing... You either get it or you dont... Meaning if there were trees in the way would that cause 7 and 12 not to come in and everything else too? Im highly considering getting a deeeeepp fringe antenna (overkill) to see what I can get that way.. What do you all recommend.. This 4228 of mine has allways been a little frisky like this, but not to this extent. Im wondering if I just need to swap out antenna's. Reports from my mom's house in Manteno, she gets both CBS and WLS, alltough lost 20 points off of her WLS signal. Now, with that said, she's using one of those medium range ratshack antenna's and a dtv pal box.

CruelInventions

06-12-09, 03:20 PM

well, so far everything seems to be coming in as it had before, which is good, but I don't know if anything reception-wise is improved from what it was before, i.e., CBS, etc..

Nor do I see any new channel/station options coming up as being available to my area (Glen Ellyn area), which is fine, I guess.

TheKorn

06-12-09, 03:21 PM

I'm back again, with "money" as sebenste puts it... snr readings!

Skokie, closest major is Skokie & Oakton. Antenna is an Antennas Direct DB4 (technically a UHF-only antenna). About fifteen feet off the ground, hanging off the side of the house. (I suck on ladders!) About 40 feet of RG6 running into the basement, then split to go into three Hauppauge capture cards (HVR-1250, HVR-1600, and HVR-1800).

Note that for the before transititon numbers, in addition to the above I had my "congress sucks" antenna spliced in with a VHF/UHF splitter running in reverse. See this post (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=15892034&highlight=wrong#post15892034) for details. Without the congress sucks antenna, WBBM-DT was unlockable.

Using femon under linux to get readings every second. snr tops out at (hex) 012c for these cards, so use that as a representative of full power...

WBBM before transition (with congress sucks antenna):

status SCVYL | signal 00f0 | snr 00f0 | ber 00000000 | unc 00000000 | FE_HAS_LOCK
status SCVYL | signal 00f0 | snr 00f0 | ber 00000000 | unc 00000000 | FE_HAS_LOCK
status SCVYL | signal 00f5 | snr 00f5 | ber 00000000 | unc 00000000 | FE_HAS_LOCK
status SCVYL | signal 00f0 | snr 00f0 | ber 00000000 | unc 00000000 | FE_HAS_LOCK

WBBM after transition (with *only* the DB4, no UHF/VHF splitter):

status SCVYL | signal 011d | snr 011d | ber 00000000 | unc 00000000 | FE_HAS_LOCK
status SCVYL | signal 0118 | snr 0118 | ber 00000000 | unc 00000000 | FE_HAS_LOCK
status SCVYL | signal 011d | snr 011d | ber 00000000 | unc 00000000 | FE_HAS_LOCK
status SCVYL | signal 0118 | snr 0118 | ber 00000000 | unc 00000000 | FE_HAS_LOCK

much better!!!! Even with my ridiculous purpose-located antenna, the new WBBM blows the doors off the old WBBM! Not quite 100% strength, but really close!

WLS before transition:

status SCVYL | signal 0118 | snr 0118 | ber 00000000 | unc 00000000 | FE_HAS_LOCK
status SCVYL | signal 0113 | snr 0113 | ber 00000000 | unc 00000000 | FE_HAS_LOCK
status SCVYL | signal 0113 | snr 0113 | ber 00000000 | unc 00000000 | FE_HAS_LOCK
status SCVYL | signal 0113 | snr 0113 | ber 00000000 | unc 00000000 | FE_HAS_LOCK

WLS after transition:

status SCVYL | signal 0113 | snr 0113 | ber 00000000 | unc 00000000 | FE_HAS_LOCK
status SCVYL | signal 0113 | snr 0113 | ber 00000000 | unc 00000000 | FE_HAS_LOCK
status SCVYL | signal 0113 | snr 0113 | ber 00000000 | unc 00000000 | FE_HAS_LOCK
status SCVYL | signal 0113 | snr 0113 | ber 00000000 | unc 00000000 | FE_HAS_LOCK

If I didn't know that WLS moved, I wouldn't know it moved. The numbers are essentially identical here.

And for reference, I also measured WMAQ...

WMAQ before:

status SCVYL | signal 0127 | snr 0127 | ber 00000000 | unc 00000000 | FE_HAS_LOCK
status SCVYL | signal 0127 | snr 0127 | ber 00000000 | unc 00000000 | FE_HAS_LOCK
status SCVYL | signal 0127 | snr 0127 | ber 00000000 | unc 00000000 | FE_HAS_LOCK
status SCVYL | signal 0127 | snr 0127 | ber 00000000 | unc 00000000 | FE_HAS_LOCK

WMAQ after:

status SCVYL | signal 0127 | snr 0127 | ber 00000000 | unc 00000000 | FE_HAS_LOCK
status SCVYL | signal 0127 | snr 0127 | ber 00000000 | unc 00000000 | FE_HAS_LOCK
status SCVYL | signal 012c | snr 012c | ber 00000000 | unc 00000000 | FE_HAS_LOCK
status SCVYL | signal 012c | snr 012c | ber 00000000 | unc 00000000 | FE_HAS_LOCK

I'm interpreting that very slight signal bump due to not having the 3dB loss from that VHF/UHF combiner running. (That's why I measured WMAQ; wanted to have a baseline!)

Bottom line (i.e. pretending like I didn't put up my congress sucks antenna), we went from being completely unable to receive WBBM to having it coming in impressively well! WLS was a wash here, probably because it's coming in on a uhf-only antenna, but it definitely wasn't worse (for us).

dattier

06-12-09, 03:44 PM

Just over eight miles NNW of the Hancock Center and just under nine miles NNW of Sears Tower, DT7 and DT12 both are coming in fine.

A friend with a fifteenth-floor apartment farther north with a TV in an ENE-facing window is pulling in WOCK-LD, WYIN-DT, and several South Bend digitals (WSBT, WNDU, WNIT), which aren't coming in here (roof antenna on a two-story Georgian house). Rescanning their (blame his girlfriend who went to Wal-Mart to save $0.12 on a worse-to-handle CECB rather than getting a Zenith DTT901 at K-Mart) Magnavox TB100MW9 didn't remove DT3 or DT52, so he had two 2's and two sets of 7's, and I deleted the extra ones through the channel delete function (which probably means they're still in the unit's table but just skipped by the channel up and channel down buttons).

Analog 2, 5, and 7 and digital 3 and 52 all just pulled the plug unceremoniously within seconds after 12:00:00 CDT (well, my timing for 3 may be off, as I recorded it and played it back rather than watching it in real time, but I'm guessing it was the same instant as analog 2). DT12 came on moments later. DT7 I had a little trouble switching to, since I was juggling all those remotes, and I may have tuned in after it had already started broadcasting, but neither DT12 nor DT7 seemed to do any sort of hello but just cut into running programming. (I didn't check DT29, since [1] I had run out of devices and [2] it wasn't starting or stopping but transmitting uninterrupted right through.)

tvropro

06-12-09, 03:51 PM

Yep, now heres a question.. With trees is it an all or nothing thing... You either get it or you dont... Meaning if there were trees in the way would that cause 7 and 12 not to come in and everything else too? Im highly considering getting a deeeeepp fringe antenna (overkill) to see what I can get that way.. What do you all recommend.. This 4228 of mine has allways been a little frisky like this, but not to this extent. Im wondering if I just need to swap out antenna's. Reports from my mom's house in Manteno, she gets both CBS and WLS, alltough lost 20 points off of her WLS signal. Now, with that said, she's using one of those medium range ratshack antenna's and a dtv pal box.

Tree's can degrade the signal (more so when the leaves are wet) At the distance you are from the transmitter I would recommend the biggest head you can afford and also get it up as high as possible. I know from my old DXing days anything worth getting needs the biggest badist boy you can have.

I really like Winegard antennas the best. In fact I am watching WSBT 22.3 weather right now on an old Winegard Ch 9065 rusted with broken and missing elements up at about 22 feet on my Zenith DTT-900, solid as a rock. I know its tropo but those Winegards perform even busted up :)

Rammitinski

06-12-09, 04:00 PM

Well, this sure as he!! sucks. Not getting 2 or 7 without the amp right now. Barely a flicker of each.

NTNgod

06-12-09, 04:03 PM

I'm in Racine about 60 miles from the towers. I haven't touched my antenna, a CM4228, which is hanging in a 1st story bedroom. I am seeing signal strength on my HDHR software as follows: Channel 7: low to mid 70's, Channel 12: low to mid 80's.

Besides the whole primarily-UHF nature of the 4228, reception on WLS might not be helped by the fact WITI 6 is still cranking on analog for a few weeks longer as a nightlight.

Perhaps that might affect WLS reception for the state line area for a short time?

jldet5

06-12-09, 04:19 PM

Well, this sure as he!! sucks. Not getting 2 or 7 without the amp right now. Barely a flicker of each.

I'd like to think if you got the large 8200 Winegard or the new 7-69 equivalent up about 20 or so feet you'd be okay without an AMP.

Rammitinski

06-12-09, 04:24 PM

goaliebob99

06-12-09, 04:25 PM

Well, this sure as he!! sucks. Not getting 2 or 7 without the amp right now. Barely a flicker of each.

I do have a channel master preamp up there. Im waiting for my wife to get back from work, and Ill be on my way to ratshack to see what they have in stock.

sebenste

06-12-09, 04:56 PM

Besides the whole primarily-UHF nature of the 4228, reception on WLS might not be helped by the fact WITI 6 is still cranking on analog for a few weeks longer as a nightlight.

Perhaps that might affect WLS reception for the state line area for a short time?

Nah, there shouldn't be. The frequency difference between channel 6 (80 mhz) and channel 7 (175 MHZ) are too far apart to cause problems.

sebenste

06-12-09, 04:59 PM

I do have a channel master preamp up there. Im waiting for my wife to get back from work, and Ill be on my way to ratshack to see what they have in stock.

Radio Shack VU-190, if you must, but it will be torn apart by high winds in a few years.
I recommend this:

https://www.tselectronic.com/winegard/hd7084.html

If you just want channels 7-69:

https://www.tselectronic.com/winegard/hd7698.html

Or if you really want to go crazy:

https://www.tselectronic.com/winegard/hd8200.html

That latter one I installed at a church in Crystal Lake. They could lock
WBBM-DT 3 at 2 killowatts (effective, due to their signal null) with a nearly pegged signal meter! :eek:

sebenste

06-12-09, 05:02 PM

Yep, now heres a question.. With trees is it an all or nothing thing... You either get it or you dont... Meaning if there were trees in the way would that cause 7 and 12 not to come in and everything else too? Im highly considering getting a deeeeepp fringe antenna (overkill) to see what I can get that way.. What do you all recommend.. This 4228 of mine has allways been a little frisky like this, but not to this extent. Im wondering if I just need to swap out antenna's. Reports from my mom's house in Manteno, she gets both CBS and WLS, alltough lost 20 points off of her WLS signal. Now, with that said, she's using one of those medium range ratshack antenna's and a dtv pal box.

Trees are funny. The leaves absorb the signal, in part due to water in them (when it's raining, the problem gets worse!). See my previous post. You'll need a highly directional VHF-UHF antenna. Winegard VHF-UHF antennas simply rock. Those of you in the NW burbs, get them at Tri-State Electronics:

https://www.tselectronic.com/location.html

sebenste

06-12-09, 05:05 PM

Out here in Gilberts, IL (60136). No WLS or WBBM at 12:43 PM on 6/12/09. I was previously able to get WLS without a problem.

WLS just admitted on the 4 PM news that quite a few people are having trouble getting them.

dattier

06-12-09, 05:16 PM

WLS just admitted on the 4 PM news that quite a few people are having trouble getting them.

I'm getting lower numbers for DT7 than I was for DT52, but DT7 is still coming in well enough.

This afternoon's surprise, though, was what's in my next post.

sebenste

06-12-09, 05:19 PM

Possibly. But I'm going through a bunch of full trees, and I was getting everything but 2, including 7, before without the amp at 85-95%.

I'm also on a hill, and the UHF/hi-VHF antenna that I already have (not up to the build quality of a Winegard, but no slouch in performance) is about 20 feet up from the ground on a mast.

I also have about 75-100 feet of coax and one split to contend with.

What I'd mostly be worried about is that the new TiVo I have on the main TV stutters on some channels when it overloads (gets at 98-100%).

Looks like the added monthly expense of Comcast limited basic cable may be in my future.

Ugh, don't do that. Use a modest preamp, if youa re getting everything else good. This should do the trick:

https://www.tselectronic.com/winegard/ap_preamp.html

Winegard AP-8700. I have that bad boy on an installation in Sugar Grove with a 4228 antenna hanging off his house; he uses it as a trellis for a vine so that the HOA doesn't get mad at him. He gets everything with it, on 3 TV's in the house. Without it, he'd get a lot less.

dattier

06-12-09, 05:19 PM

Ah, more fun from the good folklach at Halsted and Madison.

OK, so DT27's THAT? channel is coming in on 26.5 and is labeled "THAT?" but what's with the THAT? channels of DT39? 23.3 through 23.7 are coming in on channels that match their labels, but the one labeled "23.8" is coming in on 28.8 on each of our tuners. According to the display, 23.8 should be on 23.8, not on 28.8.

No, I won't ask what the channel is going to carry nor how many "THAT?" subchannels DT32 (formerly DT46) will have.

And since no one else has said it yet unless a post I haven't seen slips in ahead of this one, oh, gosh, how clever: 26.4="THIS" and 26.5="THAT?"

NTNgod

06-12-09, 05:25 PM

Nah, there shouldn't be. The frequency difference between channel 6 (80 mhz) and channel 7 (175 MHZ) are too far apart to cause problems.

D'oh! Forgot lo/hi VHF for a moment.

Waiting until the weekend to get things properly arranged and setup, but threw a set of rabbit ears up next to my PC to check WLS' digital signal on 7 (I could get analog 7 no problem with all other things the same), and I couldn't pull it in.

(I have pretty favorable elevation, etc, where even indoor antennas pull in Chicago pretty well just north of the state line)

zzzzz

06-12-09, 05:26 PM

15 miles to the southwest, 7 and 2 now both peg my signal meters 10/10 on two different TV's (one fed from an attic antenna, the second fed from a folded dipole tacked up on the wall).

Nobody has asked "What's up with that?" yet -- is everybody too busy trying 2 and 7 to notice what is going on with 23 and 26? Also, one of those "What's up with that?" subchannels is captioned 23.8 but the PSIP says 28.8.

moxie1617

06-12-09, 05:35 PM

I noticed that "Whats up with That" and "Me" appear to be everywhere. I went thru all my new channels to see what was there and I found "THAT". Also found PBS out of Milwaukee, that makes me very happy. Will see if it lasts though.

BTW, the Milwaukee PBS station is the one at 1080i, right?

rosepetal9

06-12-09, 05:38 PM

Besides losing all the 26 channels, I have now lost channel 28. Channel 7 is now coming in better than usual.

goaliebob99

06-12-09, 05:40 PM

Whats up with That? :D.. Check out 26.5

dattier

06-12-09, 05:43 PM

Two posts after I had brought it up at http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=16637366#post16637366 ...
Nobody has asked "What's up with that?" yet
Zzzzz, your timeline is upside down.

WarrenN

06-12-09, 05:45 PM

--Sclaws

06-12-09, 05:46 PM

Has anyone been able to get channel 2.1 that wasn't able to get it in the past? Is 2.1 broadcasting with more power?

I am. I'm in Aurora (southwest side by 95th and Eola). Comes in at 65-70 signal strength based on a Dish 722 OTA module. The antenna is in my attic and I could never get the old frequency. Only issue is my reception for ABC is now also around 60-70 where it was in the 90s prior to the change.

zzzzz

06-12-09, 05:49 PM

Two posts after I had brought it up at http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=16637366#post16637366 ...

Zzzzz, your timeline is upside down.

Yeah, that's what I get for typing a post without refreshing the page first!

Rammitinski

06-12-09, 05:52 PM

VHF-Hi Antenna - Winegard YA 1713 in attic
Preamp - Channel Master CM 7777
Tuner - TIVO HD

WBBM coming in great!
Signal Strength: 84 - 86
Signal was 68 -72 with occasional breakups previously with large DIY yagi.

WLS looks good so far.
Signal Strength: 74-78
Signal lower than before, but no break ups yet.Hmmm. Maybe all I do just need is the amp (as I'm in C.L. just south of you).

It's just those trees that I'm worried about. (But then, you're in an attic and you're that much farther.)

I do still have to get the antenna down and re-wire everything, though - otherwise I'd be afraid that once it rains, the raccoon's damage will cause the amp to blow out again.

Guess I'll go try the TiVo HD in the other room - although I can't see the reception being any better than the DTV Pal in this room.

videoguy60467

06-12-09, 05:58 PM

Location: Elgin IL West of Randall Rd., South of Rte. 20
TV Antenna - Radio Shack VU-90 in attic with Radio Shack 4 port amp.
RG6 Quad shield Cable

2 receivers:
Mitsubishi WD67732 65" DLP

Ch 12 (2.1) Signal fluctuates between 88% and pegged at 100%
Video is solid with no breakups
Audio has occasional breakups (same as I had with RF 3)
(I was hoping that the Audio breakups would go away on 12, but nope!)

Ch 7 (7.1) Is solid at 88%
Solid Video
Solid Audio

2nd Receiver Dish DTVPAL DVR

Ch 12 (2.1) Signal fluctuates between 938% and 98%
Video is solid with no breakups
Audio solid with no breakups. (I had some audio issues on 3)

Ch 7 (7.1) Is 95 -96%
Solid Video
Solid Audio

Does anyone have ideas on the audio dropouts on the Mits? I had some similar issues in Dallas.

rec630

06-12-09, 06:00 PM

Where are you at, Rec?

Western suburbs...according to TVFool I'm 17.7 miles from both WBBM and the WLS. TVFool shows another 3 channels "in the green" that I don't get, but they are also all under 50dB (including channel 7)

Rammitinski

06-12-09, 06:01 PM

Does anyone have ideas on the audio dropouts on the Mits? I had some similar issues in Dallas.Only that I'm guessing that the tuner in it is of a pretty old generation by now, and that a newer one would perform much better.

(I'm assuming it's old because as far as I know, Mits hasn't made a DLP in a long time.)

rec630

06-12-09, 06:28 PM

Is it just me but is the audio track on 26-2 out of sync i.e I see mouths move before I hear words?

Bink

06-12-09, 06:34 PM

Ah, more fun from the good folklach at Halsted and Madison.

OK, so DT27's THAT? channel is coming in on 26.5 and is labeled "THAT?" but what's with the THAT? channels of DT39?* 23.3 through 23.7 are coming in on channels that match their labels, but the one labeled "23.8" is coming in on 28.8 on each of our tuners.* According to the display, 23.8 should be on 23.8, not on 28.8.

No, I won't ask what the channel is going to carry nor how many "THAT?" subchannels DT32 (formerly DT46) will have.

And since no one else has said it yet unless a post I haven't seen slips in ahead of this one, oh, gosh, how clever: 26.4="THIS" and 26.5="THAT?"

You forgot 26.6 = "THE_OTHER" !!!!

:rolleyes:

TheKorn

06-12-09, 07:02 PM

Nobody has asked "What's up with that?" yet -- is everybody too busy trying 2 and 7 to notice what is going on with 23 and 26? Also, one of those "What's up with that?" subchannels is captioned 23.8 but the PSIP says 28.8.

Looks like a bad joke run amuck. Worse, those weren't there when I did a rescan at 1PM, but they are now. A total of 11 channels (all the various incarnations of THAT, plus WSBT that I picked up but can't lock) to go program out. Yayyyyyyy.

NTNgod

06-12-09, 07:06 PM

Also found PBS out of Milwaukee, that makes me very happy. Will see if it lasts though.

BTW, the Milwaukee PBS station is the one at 1080i, right?

Which one?

There's WMVS 10.1 (Milwaukee's only VHF - ch. 8) - that's the HD station (no subchannels).

There's also WMVT 36.1-36.8 (ch. 35) that's all SD. Four regular programming, a weather loop, a traffic loop, and two music.

Rocket-123

06-12-09, 07:14 PM

for those using a tuner in a PC and the Windows Media Center for OTA
start surfing 'thegreenbutton.com' for fixes
i reloaded the "guide" twice as the security alert said
now guide show no info - thanks MS!
now to go and edit a file
users/allusers/microsoft/ehome/epg/prefs/atscchannel.xml
remove erroneous data
then settings>tv>guide> add missing channels > add dtv
enter the correct stuff
i make no claim this will work - havent tried it yet
just passing what others say they did for WMC tuners
kd9fz
comments, criticisms and questions of sanity are always welcome

Two parts to this post:

First Part:
I can verify the above process works. After completing those steps, make the following changes to these two registry keys to use the Comcast Elmhurst guide data for your guide updates:

in: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion \Media Center\Service\EPG]
"headend"=IL12555X

in: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion \Media Center\Settings\ProgramGuide]
"strProviderId"=IL12555X

Reboot for these registry settings to take effect, then dowload the guide data: MCE->tasks->settings->tv->guide->download guide

And you'll be good to go. The only guide data that doesn't show up ("No data available.") is for THIS TV (now on WCIUDT4 subchannel 26.4). Don't know why WMC doesn't map it correctly from the Comcast guide data. Oh well.

Second Part:
WBBM and WLS Report from Downers Grove (20.3 miles from Sears Tower):

Prior to today:
Couldn't get WBBM digital at all after wiring up the big *ss no-name VHF/UHF attic antenna 45 days ago. Don't know what brand or model it is because it was there when we bought the house 20 years ago. Using a 100 foot length of quad-shielded coax out the attic vent, then back into the basement and direct to the ATSC dual tuner card in a Vista PC. No amplifier.

Today:
WBBM DT = perfect (six bars in MCE, so I'm guessing that's 90-100%)
WMAQ and 5.x subs = perfect
WLS and 7.x subs = perfect
WGN = ditto
WTTW and 11.X subs = ditto
WYCC and 20.x subs = ditto
WFLD = perfect
WCPX = ditto
WPWR = ditto
WYIN = (56) can see it, but intermittent and so many frames dropped it's unwatchable
WJYS and 62.2 sub = perfect
WGBO = ditto

Couldn't be more delighted. The picture is stunning and I swear it's far better than the HD cable I've had for a couple years. This is what I was hoping for. I'll be saying bye-bye to comcast, their dvr, and about $80/month. Wow, yipee and whawhoo!
Only thing remaining is to see what happens when I split the antenna feed three ways. Worse case now? I have to pick up a Channel Master amplified splitter on sale at F*y's.

Bink

06-12-09, 07:16 PM

Not good!

Location: Round Lake Beach, near Rollins and Lotus

Antenna: attic-mounted Rat Shack U-75R UHF only

Pre-Amp: Viewsonics VSA-601c 52-1,000 MHz 15dB

Coax: CommScope RG-6 appx. 30' from attic to basement & 2x drops ~40' to TVs.

Splitter: PCT Genesys II 2-Way -3.5 dB loss on each port.

The nitty-gritty...

WBBM was never even a whisper on 2 or 3, pre-transition...

Still no sign of it 0n RF 12, with a CM-D2A or a DS DTX9950

WLS was fairly consistent with occasional dropouts on RF 52 and very poor on analog 7.

I don't catch even a whiff of RF 7 DT after rescans with either box today.

WCIU... reception was mediocre at best on RF 27, pre-transition. Signal strength was 0 to 35ish with the DS and 0 to 45ish with the CM. Analog 26 could only be described as the blizzard from Hades.

I can no longer pick up RF 27 after rescans with either box.

:confused:

sebenste

06-12-09, 07:25 PM

sebenste

06-12-09, 07:27 PM

OK gang, heading downtown for some food and then the WCIU bash on analog 26, or 26.6 via your antennas (or Comcast/RCN/U-Verse channel 248). I'll be bringing two guests, one of whom is quite special, I think: he helped invent DTV and HDTV at Zenith. Hopefully they'll get a chance to interview him. Will catch you all tomorrow, God willing!

Can you say "Re-scan"? I knew you could! :D

tvropro

06-12-09, 07:32 PM

Radio Shack VU-190, if you must, but it will be torn apart by high winds in a few years.
I recommend this:

https://www.tselectronic.com/winegard/hd7084.html

If you just want channels 7-69:

https://www.tselectronic.com/winegard/hd7698.html

Or if you really want to go crazy:

https://www.tselectronic.com/winegard/hd8200.html

That latter one I installed at a church in Crystal Lake. They could lock
WBBM-DT 3 at 2 killowatts (effective, due to their signal null) with a nearly pegged signal meter! :eek:

I second getting the Winegards. Tri State is a great place to deal with. I go back with them to the early 80's.

WarrenN

06-12-09, 07:37 PM

Hmmm. Maybe all I do just need is the amp (as I'm in C.L. just south of you).

It's just those trees that I'm worried about. (But then, you're in an attic and you're that much farther.)

I do still have to get the antenna down and re-wire everything, though - otherwise I'd be afraid that once it rains, the raccoon's damage will cause the amp to blow out again.

Guess I'll go try the TiVo HD in the other room - although I can't see the reception being any better than the DTV Pal in this room.

According to tvfool.com, I'm 45.9 miles away from the transmitters. I don't have any trees in the way, but my antennas are in the attic receiving through the shingles.

I would probably get much better signal strength if I had put the antenna on the roof, but I'm not climbing up there. I will try replacing the RG6 from the amp to the antenna with a shorter RG6 quad shield, but I'm not sure how much that will do. I was seeing some thin diagonal lines on analog 7, so maybe it will help.

longwong

06-12-09, 07:49 PM

Noticed after rescan that the Spanish channels are still at their old allotment. Does anyone know when WXFT and WGBO are set to move?

tvropro

06-12-09, 07:51 PM

Noticed after rescan that the Spanish channels are still at their old allotment. Does anyone know when WXFT and WGBO are set to move?

Tonight when they pull the analogs.

longwong

06-12-09, 07:56 PM

Is a 12:05 rescan going to be a good bet?

tvropro

06-12-09, 08:05 PM

Is a 12:05 rescan going to be a good bet?

Im waiting for my final rescan till tomorrow when I get up, but you should be okay about 12:15 AM or so.

videoguy60467

06-12-09, 08:34 PM

Only that I'm guessing that the tuner in it is of a pretty old generation by now, and that a newer one would perform much better.

(I'm assuming it's old because as far as I know, Mits hasn't made a DLP in a long time.)

Actually, Mitsubishi still makes DLPs. This one is about 2 yrs old. I'm wondering if it's a firmware issue. What is interesting is that I had the same audio problem with the Dish DTVPAL DVR. Although it seems solid on RF12 now.

pgartung

06-12-09, 08:46 PM

Here's my report:

I am in Yorkville at 47 and Galena, just southwest of Aurora.

I have been using an Antennacraft Y5-2-6 (VHF low yagi) and U4000 (4 bay bowtie with reflector). I stopped using the Y526 because of overload from a radio station transmitter in my sub division.

Got home and rescanned my Phillips CRT HDTV. Got a solid signal for channel 2 for the first time ever :), but I saw nothing for channel 7 :confused: I ended up making a dipole cut to length for channel 7 (two ~17 in. elements). At first I tried attaching the elements to the center feed on the U4000 but that knocked out channel 2 (12). My final setup is the U4000 with the channel 7 dipole connected to the center feed with a few feet of twin lead.

Rammitinski

06-12-09, 08:47 PM

OK, well, I re-scanned the TiVo HD in the living room, and I'm getting both 2 and 7 reliably at about 60%. With an amp, I'm sure that'll improve.

Either there's something wrong with the DTVPal in the other room, the vermin got under the house and chewed the wires, or that tuner is just a piece of crap. I'm betting on the third choice. I'll be moving the CM-7000 from one of the bedrooms there later.

longwong

06-12-09, 09:12 PM

Im waiting for my final rescan till tomorrow when I get up, but you should be okay about 12:15 AM or so.

I was amazed to find that only 2,5,7, and 11 shut down their analogs already today. With the exception of 20, all the other UHF's are still going. Kinda makes you wish they could all shut down at the same time, but that would be too easy.

On an up note, 2 and 7 are booming in their new locations here in the NW burbs. I wonder how northward reception of DT 62 is going to change after midnight.

dicko2

06-12-09, 09:28 PM

Well, sorry to say it, but WBBM is still a no-show in Woodstock. While it came in right after the shut down, it's now pixilating and breaking up pretty bad.

They need more power to get out here.

WLS is doing OK.

Edit: WLS just faded out. This sucks..

More power! More power!

pgartung

06-12-09, 09:32 PM

I just noticed that I am picking up a channel 22.1 WSBT CBS out of South Bend, Indiana. I does not even appear on my TVfool graph so I must be getting some serious tropo ducting.

mryisdtdelrey

06-12-09, 09:49 PM

After today's multiple rescans, only ABC (WLS) is no longer being received here in Schaumburg. Guess moving from UHF 52 at 153.6 kW ERP to VHF 7 at a mere 4.75 kW ERP won't let the signal punch past O'Hare and through the trees here.

N9ZQA

06-12-09, 09:50 PM

Located in Joliet, IL - southwest corner of Ingalls Ave. and 129th Infantry Drive.

Setup 1: Insignia 26" LCD connected to attic-mounted UHF/VHF antenna (Channel Master from Fry's, can't remember the model number) by 25' of RG-59. No preamp in use.

WBBM was non-existent before. I think I might have picked it up once or twice, but not watchable at all. Comes in now with a signal strength of 50 or so on the meter in the set, and no dropouts.

WLS came in better before, approximately 75 on the meter. It's now down around 50, but solid with no dropouts.

Setup 2: Zenith Chromacolor connected to a CM-7000 CECB (only for this test; I usually use an Insignia NS-DXA1). Antenna is a Zenith Silver Sensor pointed out the front window, aligned in the general direction of downtown Chicago.

I wasn't expecting anything from this setup, since the antenna is cut for the wrong band.

2 and 7 are non-existent on the CM7000. I used to receive 7 (UHF 52) at about 85% on the Insignia's meter (not labeled). The Insignia receives 2 (VHF 12) quite well if I take the antenna and point the business end toward the ground, with the top surface facing the city.

All other channels (5, 11, 20, 26, 32, 50) that I normally watch come in at 100% on the CM7000's meter with this setup.

N9ZQA

06-12-09, 09:57 PM

Just remembered something after my last post.

I have an Insignia LCD in the bedroom, fed by a Dish 625 DVR (channel 68 output). I am stuck using RF for this arrangement as the DVR is located downstairs.

I'm trying to figure out a way to feed both the antenna and the satellite receiver to the set at the same time (A/B switch has low WAF, so I've been told.. :) )

I was thinking that combining them using a simple splitter would be less than effective, and that I'd probably be rebroadcasting something on ch. 68 to my neighbors.

Are there any devices designed for this task? The DVR signal is plenty hot, so even a lossy solution would be effective.

-Jim

dattier

06-12-09, 09:58 PM

WCPX's analog 38 was still going after 6 PM but had vanished by 7:45 PM. WGBO-DT was not using 38 yet, but was still on 53.

I'd undone my noon setup with five TVs going but put it back to watch the analog endings of WGN, WFLD, WCIU, and WPWR -- and the digital view on FBT of WCIU's departure -- at midnight. With WCPX already gone, five TVs will do it without help from the VCR. WJYS and WYIN I can't pull in; as to WSNS, WXFT, and WGBO, since I don't speak Spanish, any goodbye could escape my notice anyway, and I couldn't possibly manage to follow eight screens at the same time.

videoguy60467

06-12-09, 10:22 PM

I just had all of the South Bend stuff booming in here on the tropo.
There have been a lot of reports of this today. I wonder if that could be causing some of the issues that people are having now. For example,,, is 12 in Milwaukee still duking it out with WBBM?

My son lives in Dwight IL, and he is getting WBBM great, plus South Bend and Milwaukee!

NTNgod

06-12-09, 10:27 PM

For example,,, is 12 in Milwaukee still duking it out with WBBM?
No, WISN 12 went dead this morning.

veets

06-12-09, 10:46 PM

Grayslake near Allegheny and Rt 120 (40 miles from transmitter):

WBBM 2 (RF 12) is locked at about 75% with no breakups. Almost never got 2 DT here when it was on RF 3, and analog 2 was very poor with a lot of noise. :)

WLS 7 is locked at only about 60% with no breakups. RF 52 was 80% and very solid, and analog 7 was my strongest analog channel with an excellent picture. :(

My tuner (LG 3410a) locks signals at around about 50% so Ch 7 is right on the edge and may now be a problem under certain conditions. They simply need more power. I get the ABC station in Milwaukee at 80%. All of the other full power Chicago UHF stations lock solid at 80-85% and above. Most of the time I can pull in WWME LD at about 70%.

Funny, the Ch 7 DT signal was in the 85-90% range when they were testing last winter (I just checked my post from last November). That's too much of a drop to blame on the leaves.

Antenna: Attic mounted CM 4228 and Radio Shack VU120 to separate VHF and UHF inputs on CM 7777 preamp. All cable RG6. Have second CM 4228 and amp for Milwaukee.

justalurker

06-12-09, 10:50 PM

Besides losing all the 26 channels, I have now lost channel 28. Channel 7 is now coming in better than usual.WSJV 28 is now on 28 instead of 58 (as of 10am ET/9am CT). Dare I say, "rescan"? :)
(Or perhaps having RF 27 and RF 28 channels is a problem ... your 26.x is RF 27, 28.1 is RF 28. Although I have RF 27 25.1 WCWW at 82 signal strength and RF 28 WSJV 28.1 at 96 signal strength and both are clear. But I'm closer to the towers.)

I had to delete and manually add the new 28 to my DTVPal (Echostar) boxes. The DISH ViP receivers performed better.

Satsince1978

06-12-09, 10:56 PM

Just before dark this evening I was receiving KWGN from Denver, CO on channel 2.
Also picked up stations from Florida, Colorado, Montana, Michigan, and Illinois on channels 2 and 3 after local analogs shut down.
Antenna is a older 8200 series Winegard with a preamp at 55 feet.
Jim

shanks909

06-12-09, 11:22 PM

I lost WLS and did not gain WBBM in Wheeling near Palwaukee.

Tried two antennas, HDTVi and Clearstream2.

Back to the drawing board :(

I'm also in Wheeling (route 68 & 83) single story house with a Winrgard HD7082P Platinum Series High UHF/VHF Antenna.

Using the signal meter on my Dish 622, channel 2 jumped from 67 to 100, and channel 7 went from 78 to 100 after the moves.

goaliebob99

06-12-09, 11:22 PM

What a world of Diffrence an antenna makes!!!!!!!!!

I went out to Menards, and got me one of those Phillips 60/90 mile vhf / uhf antennas, placed that bad boy up there. Hooked up the preamp from channel master and I get CBS AND WLS!!!!!!!!!!!!

YIPPPPPPPPIEEEEEEE

Add me to the list of those who could not get WBBM, and can now..

Infact Im getting most of Milwalkee, and Southbend too.

WBBM is coming in on my pansat 9200 at 96 percent signal quality.
WLS is coming in on my pansat 9200 at 100 Percent signal quality.

NO Pixolation at all. Im a happy camper.. :)
The only thing im not getting is WCIU DT, but im not quite on...
I am getting METV-DT with That tv. :)

moxie1617

06-12-09, 11:34 PM

Which one?

There's WMVS 10.1 (Milwaukee's only VHF - ch. 8) - that's the HD station (no subchannels).

There's also WMVT 36.1-36.8 (ch. 35) that's all SD. Four regular programming, a weather loop, a traffic loop, and two music.

Thanks, it is WMVS at 10.1.

Bink

06-13-09, 12:50 AM

LOL!

I'm watching in snowy analog on RF 26.

Gilbert sure looks like Anthony Edwards!

:eek:

goaliebob99

06-13-09, 01:05 AM

Good bye WCIU Analouge... No more Snow on my TV till winter :D

Rammitinski

06-13-09, 01:36 AM

If you just want channels 7-69:

https://www.tselectronic.com/winegard/hd7698.htmlI was just looking at that antenna on www.solidsignal.com, and they want $30.00 less for it (total).

Rammitinski

06-13-09, 01:45 AM

About an hour after I posted that I was getting 2 and 7 at 60%, it went up to 70%.

jpeckinp

06-13-09, 01:52 AM

Well no matter how hard I try I can't get WLS and WBBM at the same time. The best I can get WLS is a 67 on my receiver Dish VIP622 WBBM I can get at 76 all other locals are at 85+. My distant station that I'm getting today is 43 out of Bloomington/Peoria.
This is with a set of rabbit ears that is missing one ear;).
I might try a new set from radio shack if I get a chance.

longwong

06-13-09, 02:07 AM

Seems either the analog elimination has actually made for better reception in the NW burbs, or there's some tropo thing going on. Now getting some weak signals from Milwaukee - WMVS-DT and CW-18 - neither of which I have ever seen down here before. WYIN-DT is slightly more than a blip, although not a whole lot more, but it is again detectable and watchable to some degree. But the biggest thing I notice is that both WJYS-DT and WWME-DT are now coming in with signal strength in the 80's. While I was aware of the extra power to be made available to WJYS, I did not expect to see a change in WWME. Wonder how much of this is gonna last into daybreak.

NTNgod

06-13-09, 02:35 AM

Now getting some weak signals from Milwaukee - WMVS-DT and CW-18 - neither of which I have ever seen down here before

WVTV (CW-18) moved their digital signal from 61 to their old analog home of 18 on Friday.

(They had actually pulled the plug on their analog signal back on the original date in February)

carlpa

06-13-09, 03:07 AM

Did I get a glimpse of the ABC 57 logo in that control room during the WCIU sign-off show?

hvs10trk

06-13-09, 03:30 AM

ah, more fun from the good folklach at halsted and madison.

Ok, so dt27's that? Channel is coming in on 26.5 and is labeled "that?" but what's with the that? Channels of dt39?* 23.3 through 23.7 are coming in on channels that match their labels, but the one labeled "23.8" is coming in on 28.8 on each of our tuners.* according to the display, 23.8 should be on 23.8, not on 28.8.

No, i won't ask what the channel is going to carry nor how many "that?" subchannels dt32 (formerly dt46) will have.

And since no one else has said it yet unless a post i haven't seen slips in ahead of this one, oh, gosh, how clever: 26.4="this" and 26.5="that?"
:)

hvs10trk

06-13-09, 03:31 AM

Did I get a glimpse of the ABC 57 logo in that control room during the WCIU sign-off show?
Thanks. Show went by REALLY fast for us. Probably had a glimps of the ABC57 logo somewhere in there.

sebenste

06-13-09, 04:41 AM

LOL!

I'm watching in snowy analog on RF 26.

Gilbert sure looks like Anthony Edwards!

:eek:

Hey! I ain't THAT good looking! :eek::D

What a blast. Got to tour the facilities, and then after that, got to tour WCIU's facilities. Wow. Just...wow. World class setup over there folks, and I mean, world class!

Surprised how busy it was there. 1 AM on a Saturday morning, I thought 2 people in master control. But no, editors were there, people working on projects...it's a happening place.

More tomorrow if I can wake up by noon. :eek:

DJ Matt

06-13-09, 04:44 AM

pm3839

06-13-09, 05:24 AM

......I watched 11 pull the plug... Poof and it's gone now my VCR won't set its time anymore :(

i have the same problem now with my analog tuner dvd recorder...

BUT there may be an awkward solution? > i havnt tried this yet....but i noticed that my TR40 dtv box passes closed captioning data to my analog tuner TOSHIBA crt tv ...on both the rf and a/v outputs, i think....so, if we re-set the recorder to look for the auto-clock data on channel 3 (instead of ch 11) and tune to wttw on the dtv box i am hopeful that the auto-clock feature will work again....this is, of course, assuming that wttw is sending the auto-clock data on their digital signal as they did on analog 11...

has anyone tried this?

155

06-13-09, 09:01 AM

I just rescanned.

WOCH is apparently still broadcasting in analog and running programming (not nightlight).

tvropro

06-13-09, 09:09 AM

:)

Love all the sub channels but aren't you guys pushing the bandwidth you have to the limit where the HD and SD suffers from bitstarving?

hvs10trk

06-13-09, 09:29 AM

Love all the sub channels but aren't you guys pushing the bandwidth you have to the limit where the HD and SD suffers from bitstarving?

Not at all. Using very little bandwidth for "That".

goaliebob99

06-13-09, 09:51 AM

Love all the sub channels but aren't you guys pushing the bandwidth you have to the limit where the HD and SD suffers from bitstarving?

Not at all. Using very little bandwidth for "That".

Also, That is not coming from RF27. Atleast It didnt come in untill I scaned the other RF channel. Am I right or wrong?

usmaak

06-13-09, 09:56 AM

Hi all. I'm in Orland Park. That's about 25 miles SSW of Chicago. I've never been able to get WBBM OTA. Not even a hint of it. But I was able to get WLS at around 75 percent, and the other stations came in decent (some breakups with the way I have my antenna oriented). After the switch, I can actually see WBBM, though it is all garbled, with the signal somewhere around 65. WLS-1 is completely gone. I can get WLS-2 and WLS-3 at a little under 60 percent, but it's not watchable.

I'm trying to read through all this thread and make sense of it all, but I'm not really TV savy. I thought this whole transition thing was supposed to make TV life better, not worse.

I have the following setup:

Dish VIP 722
Terk TV5 antenna

This has served me well for over a year now.

I do not have the ability to put an outdoor antenna up, and don't have any attic access. Can anyone recommend an indoor antenna that would allow me to pull in WLS and WBBM well enough to see a picture?

Thanks. And I will keep reading this thread.

Acteng

06-13-09, 09:58 AM

Reception report for WLS and WBBM

Location: Batavia IL 36mi west of transmitters down in fox valley

Setup: TIVO HD with Antennas Direct V21, 100ft RG6 no splits.

WBBM: coming in great on RF12, "signal strength"=80 locking solid.

WLS: cannot lock, severe breakups, "signal strength"=20-30 and occasionally dropping back to zero. Currently raining but it was doing the same thing last night when clear.

On this setup I had no troubles with WBBM when it was on RF3, so I know that my antenna can handle low VHF. Kinda surprised RF7 is not solid here.

155

06-13-09, 10:15 AM

hvs10trk

06-13-09, 11:07 AM

Also, That is not coming from RF27. Atleast It didnt come in untill I scaned the other RF channel. Am I right or wrong?

It's coming from RF 27.

ProjectSHO89

06-13-09, 11:12 AM

I dug my Antennas Direct V4 VHF antenna out of the closet and was able to pick up WLS and WBBM indoors in Wheeling near Palwaukee, it's a little big and I would like to find a smaller antenna, so I am currently reading antenna reviews trying to find the best indoor VHF antenna out there.

Make the V4 elements shorter. Got a hacksaw or pipe cutter? Make the elements tapered from around 14-16 inches (each side of boom) on the front to 15-18 inches on the back and it should work better for 7 & 12.

Unless you need it for an FM receiver, it's pretty much useless otherwise.

tvropro

06-13-09, 11:28 AM

Not at all. Using very little bandwidth for "That".

"That" being a test card now would use very little. When you add actual content that's when I think they all may suffer. Any info on the bandwidth breakdown per sub channel on 27?

tvropro

06-13-09, 11:29 AM

Also, That is not coming from RF27. Atleast It didnt come in untill I scaned the other RF channel. Am I right or wrong?

26.5 is.

tvropro

06-13-09, 11:34 AM

On this setup I had no troubles with WBBM when it was on RF3, so I know that my antenna can handle low VHF. Kinda surprised RF7 is not solid here.

7 is on VHF Hi. They cut there power quite a bit from RF 52 this is my theory why people are starting to have issues with 7 now.

Everything is working fine here on 7 and 2 in the rain by Midway Airport.

rec630

06-13-09, 12:02 PM

With the conversion, does PBS (11) or any other stations still send out a time signal? I've got a DVDR that's been getting funky time settings now since 12:00AM Friday.

Thanks

(I know there's time sent with PSIP, but I don't think that is recognized by the unit for setting time and wouldn't want the unit to use that anyway since I've seen it incorrect and varying by chanel)

drhey19

06-13-09, 12:16 PM

So what type of programing is going to be on That? 26.5?
My guess is that it will be This TV's counterpart like MeTV and MeToo.

moxie1617

06-13-09, 12:18 PM

I just swapped out my trusty RS 15-1880 with a Channel Master 4221, the original-not the HD model, and am getting WBBM with a SS of 84, no multipath jumping around, and an SNR of 26dB.

WLS has SS of 78 with an SNR of 25dB and is rock solid. :)

I had bought the 4221 a while back before they came out with the HD model. I played with it but didn't put it in service because it wouldn't pick up WBBM like the 15-1880.

The only downside is that I lost the Milwaukke PBS station WMVS. I am considering taking off the back of the antenna to see if I can get WMVS back.

The antenna is in a 2nd floor bedroom facing the antennas, 14.5 miles from the towers. I am happy.:D:D

mikelipino

06-13-09, 12:29 PM

I will have to reposition my Terk antenna. Its in my screen porch and got moved around, but I did a re-scan just to see what would happen and surprisingly I am getting CBS Milwaukee here in Naperville. Its a very low signal, but its coming in. I was very surprised. I can't get ABC or CBS though, but again, I will mess around more with this tomorrow. I was really hoping I would get CBS though.

I'm in the same situation: been using an indoor Terk amplified antenna before the switch (apparently just for UHF signals), now after the switch I've found out that my antenna might not pull VHF very well. Since I'm on the bottom floor of an apartment (oddly enough, also in Naperville), my outdoor antenna options are severly limited. However I might be able to swing it if the antenna is relatively compact and can bolt onto a porch rail.

Any suggestions on such an indoor (or small outdoor) antenna? Oh, if it's available at a brick-n-mortar store, that would be awesome, because I want to pick it up ASAP. Hehe

veets

06-13-09, 12:31 PM

About an hour after I posted that I was getting 2 and 7 at 60%, it went up to 70%.

I noticed that too. But today, 7 is back down to where it was originally in the 60-65% range. Channel 2 is still much stronger at around 80%. No breakups on either channel though.

dattier

06-13-09, 12:35 PM

About 11:30 last night I left the computer and went back to the televisions. Not only 38 but also 44, 50, 60, and 66 had signed off their analogs by then, and WGBO had moved its digital from 53 to 38 (WXFT's was still on 59).

Not needing a screen to follow 50, I was able to watch WCIU's signoff on both 26 and 26.6.

Within seconds of 26's pulling their plug, so did 9 and 56 (whose analog I was able to pull in snowily but detectably), 32 switched from WFLD programming with a crawl to their nightlight, and of course when 26 pulled its plug 23 switched to its post-cutoff fare.

WYIN-DT comes in from time to time, probably thanks to the humidity today, and for a while WJYS-DT wasn't coming in but now it's back.

WLS-DT is as strong on 7 now as it used to be on 52, so no complaints there. Odd thing is that they're still identifying themselves on screen as "WLS-TV WLS-DT" though one or the other should be enough now.

TheKorn

06-13-09, 12:36 PM

I'm in the same situation: been using an indoor Terk amplified antenna before the switch (apparently just for UHF signals), now after the switch I've found out that my antenna might not pull VHF very well. Since I'm on the bottom floor of an apartment (oddly enough, also in Naperville), my outdoor antenna options are severly limited. However I might be able to swing it if the antenna is relatively compact and can bolt onto a porch rail.

Any suggestions on such an indoor (or small outdoor) antenna? Oh, if it's available at a brick-n-mortar store, that would be awesome, because I want to pick it up ASAP. Hehe

Do you have trees or other things blocking line of sight? If not, then you might do fine with a db2 on a j-mount. Pretty compact, and can bolt to a porch rail.

Technically it's uhf-only, but back in december I tested mine when WLS was going their tests, and WLS came in fine on 7 with it in skokie, and northbrook isn't too much further north.

(I've since upgraded to a db4, because of tree issues.)

mikelipino

06-13-09, 12:41 PM

Thanks for the reply, TheKorn! I'll do some research on the db2/4. Yeah, unfortunately the only window out of my apartment faces to the NW, so I assume I've been getting UHF signal bank-shot from the apartments across the parking lot. Maybe this isn't possible with VHF?

veets

06-13-09, 12:57 PM

With the conversion, does PBS (11) or any other stations still send out a time signal? I've got a DVDR that's been getting funky time settings now since 12:00AM Friday.

PBS analog is gone. But TVGOS analog data (Guide v7) is still being sent on channel 32. I got new listings and a clock reset last night on my LG 3410a DVR. I assume this will end when 32 signs off on June 26. Others have indicated that digital versions of the TVGOS guide data are being sent on WBBM-DT.

saxhound

06-13-09, 01:00 PM

Report from Elmhurst - 15.8 miles due west:
Dish 622 and 211 tuners
Newpoint Paddle antenna on roof (little plastic power injected job – about 5” x 8”)
75 feet of RG6 to 622, another 60 feet to the 211

Prior to transition:
WBBM – just an occasional flash at 55-60% – it would never lock for more than a few seconds.
WMAQ – pretty reliable at 75-80%
WLS – very reliable at 85-90%
WGN & WTTW – rock solid at 100%
WFLD – very reliable at 90%
Others received, but not tracked – 20-1, 23-*, 26-*, 44-1, 50-1, 60-1, 66-1

Post transition:
WBBM – solid lock at 98%
WLS – good lock at 85-90%
All others the same

I have had the Channelmaster Stealthtenna with the integral pre-amp sitting in my basement for a couple weeks just waiting for a nice day to install it. Got up there and put it up on a J-mount pointed at 95 degrees. What a difference.

2, 5, 7, 9, 11, 23, 26, 44, 48, and 50 all pegged at 100%
32 is at 95%, and 20, 38, and 60 are all in the 90% range
I’m also getting 22 (WTSB) and 56 (WYIN) with a pretty solid lock at 65%, 13 at 75% (no audio), and 62 with a good lock at 74%.

I probably don’t even need the pre-amp, but I’m not getting any distortion, wavy lines or mosquito noise on the majors, so I’ll probably just leave it in there. I might try pointing the thing a little more southeast to see if I can catch South Bend, and also give Milwaukee a shot.

Trip in VA

06-13-09, 01:10 PM

There's a That TV now? :p

- Trip

slowlybuilt

06-13-09, 01:13 PM

I lost ABC and CBS used to come in and out and now that's totally gone! I thought the digital switch wasn't going to affect those of us with digital tuners.

I have a Hauppauge 2250 and RCA rabbit ears with the loop on the bottom. I'm about 2 miles from the tower here in Wrigleyville, top floor of a 3 story apartment.

I had been receiving all the digital channels with the exception of CBS on my HTPC without any problems. CBS was hit or miss, but it mostly worked in primetime. Now I scan for channels and it can detect CBS and ABC, but it says Service is unavailable when I tune to that channel! All the other channels still work fine, including PBS, CW, NBC and most of the independent channels including the new 23.x sub channels with the screen displaying "What's up with that?" and coming soon scrolling across the back ground.

My GF is pissed!:mad: She claims she "knew this would happen":mad:

dicko2

06-13-09, 01:24 PM

Slowlybuilt
Are you using Media Center? If so, follow these directions
http://thegreenbutton.com/blogs/pnear/archive/2006/09/12/202708.aspx

or wait until Microsoft straighens out the guide data in a few weeks time :-)

bellbm

06-13-09, 01:28 PM

Things are fine here in Lakeview. Although there is no guide data for Channel 2 and Channel 7 on my Tivo.

sebenste

06-13-09, 01:33 PM

Rammitinski

06-13-09, 01:36 PM

i have the same problem now with my analog tuner dvd recorder...

BUT there may be an awkward solution?...You mean that recorder doesn't have manual clock setting? That would be highly unusual.

dattier

06-13-09, 01:38 PM

There's a That TV now?It's actually "What's up with THAT?" Its "coming soon" card is being carried on six subchannels of RF 39 and one of RF 27.

I still think it's a mistake for the subchannel of 39 labeled "23.8" to be PSIPped to virtual channel 28.8, but when I mentioned that above, HVS responded with only a smiley icon.

Lord_Zath

06-13-09, 01:51 PM

Here's my report.

Location - Antioch, IL near 173 and 45. That's about 45 miles NNW of Chicago transmitters, and 45 miles SSW of Milwaukee transmitters.

Setup - RS "Budget" antenna located in attic. RG59 cable from antenna to a leftover Comcast amplifier. From there to a 3-way splitter (-7, -7, -3.5 db). -3.5db is connected to a 4-way splitter (-7 each). The -7's in the first splitter go to the master bedroom and family room (the two most-watched locations). The master bedroom has a signal tap that goes to my receiver so I can utilize the setup for FM tuning (boy does it help!). The 4-way splitter goes to two other bedrooms, the study, and the basement. The basement line is split once more - one to a TV in the workout room, and the other to a coax connected to my receiver in the family room for FM goodness. Cables between splitters are RG-6; not sure if quad-shielded or not. I'm not sure what the coax is to each of the jacks, as it's a 3-year old house and I couldn't specify cable that was installed. My guess is it's also RG59.

Reception report - I really wish I created the following table before the transition as well so I could have some concrete data. However, I can tell you that I am getting better signal qualities across the board. And I get WBBM!!! With 6 converter boxes, I went ahead and made a table showing signal qualities. Note that the ChannelMaster is in the family room, and the DigitalStream is in the master bedroom. The other boxes are all on that 4-way splitter. I have no problems with pixellation, and only slight picture/audio issues (noted below). I'm also attaching my tvfool report. All in all, I must say I'm happy with the results, and am also stunned that so many others are having WBBM/WLS issues with more expensive antennas/amps than my setup. All told, I spent $12 on the antenna, $0 on the amp, and between $0 and $20 for two CECB's, and $40-$60 for the remaining 4 CECB's. By dropping cable, I'm saving $90 a month. Whee!

slowlybuilt

06-13-09, 01:57 PM

bellbm

06-13-09, 01:57 PM

Things are fine here in Lakeview. Although there is no guide data for Channel 2 and Channel 7 on my Tivo.

Update- the guide data just appeared! It also appears I won't have to redo my season passes. :)

Rammitinski

06-13-09, 02:01 PM

For those of you looking for a good VHF/UHF indoor antenna:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1037779.

Rammitinski

06-13-09, 02:10 PM

I have had the Channelmaster Stealthtenna with the integral pre-amp sitting in my basement for a couple weeks just waiting for a nice day to install it. Got up there and put it up on a J-mount pointed at 95 degrees. What a difference.That thing, for some reason, gets a bad rap around here. I think mostly because it looks too "gimmicky' for some of these old-time experts around here to take seriously (plus, the specs themselves don't make it look too good, either. But every reviewer that's tried it was somewhat surprised at it's performance).

When I tried one a few years back (Gilbert would probably still remember that, as well as some other oldsters), it worked fantastic for hi-VHF and very well for UHF. The only gripes I had about it at the time were the wind load, and the total bi-directionality of it (which wasn't a problem in my case, but I could see where it might be for someone else. Don't imagine it would be a good choice at all for someone in the inner city because of the multipath).